Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Ribh]

I don't know Ribh. At the moment, based on the three instances I'm aware of I would go for coincidence. It's the safe spot in the allotment run. It is the area that the Legbars congregate.
But, there are two things that make me want to watch for this in the future.
One is the friendship Simile (legbar) had/has with Lima who was the sickest looking and acting hen here. They still spend some time together but Lima is much more independent now.
The other was when Amp was dying and reluctant to go to roost. One of the Legbars stayed out with her until dark.

I have no ideas either. Luna is my most empathetic hen & often supports the smaller, weaker or outsider but I've had the Vorwerks go both ways. I've had them surround & keep company with a sick hen but also ferociously attack one. I have no idea what makes the hens support some but not others.

 

[Shadrach]

Quite wide just for a bit of grass.

Fret.

On the watch list. The straight Cream Legbars are at least six years old I've discovered.

Last one heading home; Dusk of course.

 

[MaryJanet]

I don't know Ribh. At the moment, based on the three instances I'm aware of I would go for coincidence. It's the safe spot in the allotment run. It is the area that the Legbars congregate.
But, there are two things that make me want to watch for this in the future.
One is the friendship Simile (legbar) had/has with Lima who was the sickest looking and acting hen here. They still spend some time together but Lima is much more independent now.
The other was when Amp was dying and reluctant to go to roost. One of the Legbars stayed out with her until dark.

I'm going to hypothesise, so shoot me down by all means. With only one rooster, the legbar hens are providing protection. The fact they're legbars is, I think, of no consequence. In their absence some other breed of hen would step up.

 

[MaryJanet]

I have no ideas either. Luna is my most empathetic hen & often supports the smaller, weaker or outsider but I've had the Vorwerks go both ways. I've had them surround & keep company with a sick hen but also ferociously attack one. I have no idea what makes the hens support some but not others.

Maybe they Intuit the nature of the sickness and shun infectious hens while supporting others?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I'm going to hypothesise, so shoot me down by all means. With only one rooster, the legbar hens are providing protection. The fact they're legbars is, I think, of no consequence. In their absence some other breed of hen would step up.

I was going to say that maybe when a bird is feeling ill, they seem to not veiw them as a threat so much? Like they're fine with the ill birds because they won't be doing anything harmful. I've seen a few posts mentioning ISAs have temperament issues

 

[pennyJo1960]

Hard to judge I have two multi colored EE that are my "legbars". Also they are my older birds

 

[MaryJanet]

I was going to say that maybe when a bird is feeling ill, they seem to not veiw them as a threat so much? Like they're fine with the ill birds because they won't be doing anything harmful. I've seen a few posts mentioning ISAs have temperament issues

Yep, good point.

 

[GregnLety]

In certain respects I think chickens are similar to people. Gorda was always sick as a pullet but is now a dominant healthy hen and to an extent she watches over our tiny brown Silkie hen who is far smaller than our other girls. Itty Bitty will run to me or Lety for protection when Gorda isn't close by.

 

[Pippin quail]

Here’s some tax as promisedView attachment 2947609View attachment 2947618View attachment 2947630View attachment 2947635View attachment 2947638View attachment 2947643View attachment 2947646
All 4-5 months old…except Reggie (b/w polish) he’s 7 months old. Weather here is currently raining..raining…raining

What breed is your black chicken? I have one who looks just like her and am not sure if she's a black Orpington or something else. She may be a mix too she's about 8.5 months old and just started laying!
Edited to say she's actually 8.5 months old, not 7.5 months.

 

[micstrachan]

Don't expect too much from a rooster when it comes to predators. Most will give a warning call and run for cover with the hens. It's cover and the right kind that saves the chickens. Eventually if they free range they learn how to avoid, or not be seen by the hawks. There are still a few breeds that are too fast and wiley for a hawk to catch. The chickens that I know that have fought hawks have all been female. Mostly the males die by presenting the hawk with a better target because they warn before they run and they are slower than the hens.

Very good information! Thank you! But a rooster will at least watch the sky more attentively, no?